Locking latch



Dec. 2, 1947.

A. F. LlcKTElc y2,431,814

LOCKING LATCH Filed NOV. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnuenffor B5 mm3 Dec. 2, 1 947. A. F. LlcKTElG i LOCKING LATCH Filed Nov. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1.5.16 3a 5759 3034 a 54 E23 55 Patented Dec. 2, 1947 LOCKING LATCH Albert F. .Lickteig, vGrand Rapids, Mich., .assignor to .National Brass Company, Grand Rapids, "Mich a corporation of Michigan Application November 20, 1944, l*Serial No..564,211

4 Claims. .il I have heretofore on August 16, 1944, made application rior ra locking latch construction, `-having Ser. No. 549,644. ,The present `invention Irelates .to door latches `of the `same type which may be locked against operation `from the outer -side yof the door but .readily operated at the inner side thereof. The same advantages and results of simplicity and economy oi constructionease Aof installationzand,suretyin operation are obtained in a particularly .practicaland effective manner, and Awith a .locking of the .manual operating means at the outsideof v.the 4door against voperation through .a direct but .releasable ,connection thereof with the housing of the latch, .with :a greater strength and durability :than Apreviouslir obtained. Novel structure for the accomplishments of the ends stated `and with the same for greater shortening of .-theover .all Jlength of Vthe latch because of such construction will be apparent .upon an understanding lof the invention from the .following descriptionof a practical and preferred embodiment ofthe invention, shown in the accompanying drawings-in which,

Fig l is a .fragmentary -horizontal section at the free edge portion .of a hinged door having the `locking latch of my invention installed there in, said latch also beingshown in horizontal section and in .its unlocked position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary viewof the inner portion of the latch structure shown in Fig. 1, in the position vof the parts when `the latch is locked against operation `from the outer sideof the door.

Fig. 3 is `a transverse .vertical Vsection through the latch in a `plane yimmediately back of the inner end of the latch .keeper engaging bolt.

Fig, 4. is a sideelevationof the latch structure with one side .of the housing removed .and with parts of the .interior .latch structure shown in section.

Fig. 5 isa transverse sectionthrough the housing at the `place of ,mountingof the manually operable means used therewith.

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through the latch at .the operating means therefor, and

Fig. l is 4a somewhat .enlargedperspective View of the lock operating means, and the means `used to automatically trender it ineffective upon .inward movement of thekeeper engaging .bolt as when a door carrying the latch is closed.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the diierentgures of the drawings.

The latch is adapted to bemounted at the free verticaledge portion of a hinged .door shownatl, which door for the installation of .the latch is for-reception-of the latch housing, and also bor-ed .transversely at 3 for thejpassage of the operating lbars to which door ,knobs or the like are secured. .In addition y.an Vopening 4 ,is bored transversely .from .the :inner side -of the adoor 'to the vinterior .opening ,2 for the passage lof the manually op .erable means used to render the locking-effective. yAsfin mypreviously lled application above identied, Aa similar l.opening Vlike that at 4 may be .directlyinfline therewithat the outer side of the .door for .the same `purpose but -it is not shown in the present application, .being fully shown in the one earlier nIed.

Thorugh the openings 3 spindle .bars 5 and' .are Fpassed each vbeing square in cross section .and at their .outer ends having knobs .l or the like connected thereto for Amanual turning. YAt Ythe Youter side .of the .door .a sheet ymetal es .cutcheon of `conventional form is located be.- tweenthe knob land the side of the door. A similarfescutcheon 9 is Avlocated at the inner side `of the `door v.and .at .one side in alignment with the opening 4 in the door lhas an opening of noncircular shape,` .with guides I0 turned inwardly for `.guiding .the manually operable locking .bar which .as ,will later be described, is .preferably polygonal in cross section and in any event Will be .on a .non-.circularcross sectional form. The spindlebars .5 and .Bat their adjacent ends Within the opening 2.of the door and Within the latch housing therein .are connected together, one of the .bars as 5 .(Fig. ,6) .being formed with a cylindrical stem .|.I .extending from its inner end which between its. ends is vgrooved annularly to make areduced section .I 2,.the opposite bar .6 atits inner end portion being interiorly bored to receive the cylindrical `stem II ,and .the parts connected together byspinning the ,metal ,inwardly as at I3 around the .grooved -section I2, connecting said barsi5 and f6 .against .longitudinal separation but permitting free rotative movement of each with respect to the other.

The )latch `'includes a housing .in which the major .portion of the mechanism is mounted, made Q'f Ltwo partsof .substantially identical form which Awhen brought together, with their edges in contact, complete the housing of the latch. When thusbrought together-.and assembled the latch 'housing Vincludes a lcylindrical section I4 between -its .ends but toward the front portion thereof, with a second cylindrical section I5 of lesser ,diameter outwardly from the cylindrical section I4 with an annular shoulder IS between and .connecting the two cylindrical sections I4 bored inwardly to make a cylindrical Aopening .2 55 and .|5. .At the inner end ofthe cylindrical sec- 3 tion I4 the metal is pressed inwardly at both sides of the housing providing a relatively large shoulder Il, and the housing is changed in shape to be of a substantially rectangular form as indicated at i8 (Fig. 5), from each side of which roll-back housing I9 are pressed outwardly. The inner ends of the housing are closed by inturned flanges 29 and at one side of theAhousing between the adjacent roll-back housing I9 and shoulder at II it is pressed outwardly as at 2| forming a housing section in which the immediate locking member, as hereinafter described, is located and mounted.

Within the roll-back housing portions I9 two roll-backs 22, one for each of said housings I9, are mounted to turn about a horizontal axis. They are made from sheet metal in a substantially cup like form and at their forward sides provided with arc-shaped iianges 23 in one at least of which a slot or recess 24 is cut. The flanges 23 as shown partly in dotted lines in Fig. 4 have shoulders at each end and the recess 24 is substantially midway between them.

A locking member or lever 25, also made from sheet metal, is pivotally mounted at 26 between the sides of the housing portion 2| in a position such that when turned about its pivot in a clockwise direction (Fig. 2) its free end portion will enter the slot 24 locking the roll-back adjacent the outer side of the door against rotative movement, while the opposite roll-back is free to be turned by manual operation of the knob connected to the bar 6. It is to be understood that the bars and B are square in cross section and pass through squared openings in their respective roll-backs. When the locking member 25 is at its normal position, as in Fig. l, it lies parallel to and against the inner side of the housing section 2|, and the roll-back 22 adjacent the outer side of the door is also free to be turned on rotation of the bar 5 by its connected door knob. r1Ehe locking member 25 at its other end has a projecting tongue 21 (Figs. l and 2). An operating bar of flat metal for the lever 25 is formed with a section 28 which passes slidably through one side of the housing between the adjacent shoulder I'I and the inner roll-back housing portion I9 and at one end is turned at right angles to make a section 29. Within the housing it is bent in the same direction at an obtuse angle to the section 28, forming an intermediate offsetting section 33, and terminated in an end section 3| which passes through a grinder opening in the lock housing portion 2| of the housing. The tongue 2l of the locking member 25 extends through an opening made for its passing in said section 3|. From the section 28 near its joinder with the offsetting section 30 projections 32 one at each side extend outwardly therefrom (Fig. '7). A member 33 passes through the opening in the escutcheon plate 9 and is guided by the guides IG; and at its inner end is formed with a short screw portion to thread into an interiorly threaded opening made in the section 29 previously described. t is evident that by pushing against the outer end of the member 33, the locking member 25 is turned in a clockwise direction about its pivot 26 from the position in Fig. l to that in Fig. 2, thereby moving the locking member 25 into the recess 24 of the outer roll-back to hold in against movement and thus lock the bar 5 and the knob I connected therewith against operation.

At the inner end of the cylindrical portion |4 of the latch housing a disk 34 of metal is located having edges which bear against the shoulders II. Said plate is provided with openings for the passage of certain parts of the latch bolt and mechanism associated therewith. Between said plate and the inner section 3| of the bar previously described a member 35 of flat metal is disposed. Said member 35 at its end engaging said section 3| is preferably rounded and the adjacent side of the part 3| similarly recessed to receive it. At its opposite end the member 35 is reduced in width and provided with two side by side tongues 36 which may pass through an opening in the plate 34 and are bent in opposite directions.

A cup-like member 3I of sheet metal is located within the cylindrical portion I4 of the housing and at its open end has an outwardly extending flange 38 normally bearing against the annular shoulder I6. A heavy coiled compression spring 39 bears at one end against the flange 38 and at the other against the disk 34. It is evident that in the movements of the lock operating mechanism including the member 33 and the bar connected therewith, that the member 35 between the plate 34 and section 3| of said bar, in moving from the position in Fig. l to that in Fig. 2 and back moves the plate 34 against the spring 39, the greatest extent of movement being at the intermediate position of said member 35, whereby the force of the spring is exerted to normally yieldingly hold the roll-back lock 25 in either position to which it may take.

The outer end of the housing is closed by a sheet metal cup-like member 40 having a cylr indrical skirt passing over the outer cylindrical section of the latch housing, and having an outer end 4| to which a rectangular plate of metal 42 is normally secured in the usual man ner of latches of this character, both the end 4| of the cup housing member and the plate 42 having alined rectangular openings for the passage of the keeper engaging head of the latch bolt. In the installation of the latch the housing is entered into the cylindrical opening 2 until said plate comes to the edge of the door, which normally is mortised a suicient depth to receive it, this being conventional practice.

The keeper engaging head 43 of a latch bolt passes through said alined openings, said head having a beveled side 44 of conventional structure and at its inner end being connected with a cylindrical rod 45 which passes through an opening in the bottom of the cup-shaped member 3l. A relatively light coiled compression spring 4B is disposed around the rod and seated at its ends against the inner side of the head 43 and against the bottom of the member 31. The rod at its inner end is annularly grooved for the reception of a split spring ring 41 having an exterior diameter larger than the opening in the bottom of the member 3'I. Before applying said split ring to the rod, a member (Fig. 7) is located over the inner end of the rod to normally engage against the other side of the bottom of the cup member 3l. Such member has a disk shaped outer end 48 with a central opening for the passage of rod 45, from opposite sides of which bars 49 extend inwardly, being connected integrally by the cross bar 5D, and from the upper and lower edges of the inwardly extending bars 49 flanges 5| are bent to extend in an outward direction. Two ngers 52 spaced from each other are connected at one end to the cross bar 50 and extend rearwardly therefrom, at their free ends being beveled as shown at 53.

'5 .TWO bersaele permanently conneetedatither Guter endete-theme vnlelelleer ,3l and extend-in- .wardly into thehousing to and beyond the anges of lthe,projecting head 43 ofthe latch bolt, striking the keeper, causes the head 43 and -rod 45 to be moved inwardly With a compression of the lighter spring 35. After the head and the attached rod 25 have moved inwardly a predetermined distance the inner end of the rod strikes the bar 5u and moves the member of which bar 55 is a part inwardly, the flanges 5I sliding upon bars 5ft and carrying the iingers 52 inwardlly. If the outer roll-back lock 25 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the beveled ends of the lingers ride against the projections 32 with the result that the lock 25 is disengaged from the recess at 2d and moved to the position shown in Fig. l.

With the outer roll-back 25 unlocked as in Fig. i, the latch bolt may be retracted from either side of the door by turning the selected knob l. For example, if the knob 'l at the outer side of the door is operated and spindle bar 5 turned about its axis, the roll-back 22 associated therewith, by engagement of the shoulders of its iiange 23 with the pins 55 on bars 54 will retract the cup member 3l against the heavier spring 39, and such inward movement of the cup member 3l will cause an inward movement of the latch bolt head i3 to disengage from the keeper with a simultaneous inward movement of the lingers 52. Such operation of the outer knob and its connected bar 5 is prevented when the locking member or lever 25 is in the notch or recess at 2d, as in Fig. 2, therefore the latch is locked against operation from the outer side of the door under such conditions. Y

But the spindle bar 6 may still be operated by the knob 'l at the inner side of the door to retract the latch bolt, and under such conditions the fingers 52 will, upon their movement inwardly, engage with the projections 32 and move the locking member 25 from its locking position in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1. In other Words, any inward movement of the latch bolt to or approaching its extreme position either by a closing of the door or by a latch bolt retraction through operation from the inner side of the door Will automatically move the locking member 25 from locking operative to unlocking inoperative position.

In the use of the latch it is primarily directed for application to and installation on bathroom doors. After the door is closed the member 33 may be pushed upon at its outer end from within the room and the locking lever 25 moved to operative position (Fig. 2). It is not necessary to pull outwardly on the member 33 to unlock the latch bolt, as opening the door from its inner side will automatically perform such function. From the outer side of the door the latch bolt cannot be retracted as long as the door is closed under such conditions.

' 4Flfhe construction described isleconomical :to produce, durable, Sure inc itsfoperation ,and-readily :manufactured vand assembled. The Alocking member tor ,lever 25 :mounted directly on the housing isstronsand sturdy and thereis no 1iability tof anysof the `parts getting 'out of order. "Thev pressure :exerted ,upon :the-terminal section di .of itherloelring member `operating means :by the spring 3.9 as-describedliolds the locking lever 25 in either of its positions against accidental tor ai-niless movement, therebyinsuring againstan 4a ccidentalpositioning of ,the locking member 25 in Ithe fnotch 1214 while theJ door is Iclosedwith .an impossibility :of opening rthe kdoor from its outer side.

Thernvention is denediinftheappended claims and 4,is cto Vloe considered comprehensive of all formsv of 'structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

l. A latch comprising, an elongated tubular housing open at one end, a spring actuated latch bolt adapted to normally project at the open end of the housing, two operating spindle bars extending into opposite sides of the housing and meeting therewithin, means rotatably connecting said spindle bars at their meeting ends and holding them against longitudinal separation, a roll-back on each of said spindle bars Within the housing connected therewith to turn each with the bar to which connected, one of saidv roll-backs having a recess therein, a locking member pivotally mounted and located Within the housing in one position entering said recess of said roll-back and locking it and associated spindle bar against turning movement, and a manually operable bar connected With said locking member slidably passing through the housing and adapted to be manually moved to turn said locking member to position it in the recess of said roll-back.

2. A locking means for a retractable latch having a housing in which a retractable latch bolt is mounted comprising, a movably mounted locking member mounted on and Within the housing, a roll-back mounted for rocking movement Within the housing having a recess to receive said locking member, said roll-back being connected with a manually operable means for turning it located at one side of the latch, and a manually operable bar passing slidably through said housing and connected with the locking member for moving it to position in the recess of said roll-back, thereby locking the roll-back and associated manual operating means therefor against movement, said movably mounted locking member being pivotally mounted between its ends with the free end located adjacent and adapted to move into said recess of the roll-back, and the opposite end being pivotally connected to said slidably mounted bar.

3. A locking means for a retractable latch having a housing in which a retractable latch bolt is mounted comprising, a movably mounted looking member mounted on and within the housing, a roll-back mounted for rocking movement within the housing having a recess to receive said locking member, said roll-back being connected with a manually operable means for turning it located at one side of the latch, and a manually operable bar passing slidably through said housing and connected with the locking member for moving it to position it in the recess of said rollback, thereby locking the roll-back and associated manual operating means therefor against movement, said locking member comprising a lever pivotally mounted between its ends and carred on and Within said housing with the free end of the lever movable into and out of said recess in the roll-back, said opposite end of the lever having a pivotal connection with said slidably mounted bar, and spring means acting against said bar to move said bar to and yieldingly hold it in the tWo extreme positions which it may occupy, in one of which the locking member is located in said recess of the roll-back and in the other of which it is out of said recess.

4. A latch comprising a housing, a latch bolt retracta'bly mounted in said housing, a roll back rotatably mounted in said housing, means for rotating said roll back, means for retracting said latch bolt actuated by rotation of said roll-back, a notch in said roll back, a recess in said housing, a locking member pivoted Within said recess on an axis transverse to the axis of the roll-back and closely fitting against the sides of the recess and manual means for pivoting said locking member to enter the notch in said roll-back to prevent rotation thereof.

ALBERT F. LICKTEIG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

